Maureen O'Hara returns to 'dear old dirty Dublin'

Maureen O'Hara returned to her hometown of Ranelagh, in Dublin, to celebrate Ireland's Culture Night and launch a local arts festival.

The sprightly, 90-year-old star, addressed the crowd saying "Be proud of where you came from." The Irish-American who recently celebrated her birthday was quick up on her feet as soon as she was announced.

"They told me I could sit down if I wanted to but you don't like someone saying that to you so I'll stand…I could stand here and talk to you all night but I don't know whether you would thank me for it. My last message to you is always try and do something with your life and be proud of yourself.

"I hope God gives me enough years to come back many times more and visit 'dear old dirty Dublin' like we used to call it when we were kids," said Ms Hara.

During her talk she recalled her time at with the Irish Sisters of Charity. She also mentioned Irish Radio and TV legend, Gay Byrne and called him a "good student."

She was born Maureen Fitzsimons in Beechwood Avenue, Ranelagh. She trained in the Abbey Theatre having first gone to business school. Her first major film was Alfred Hitchcock's "Jamaica Inn" in 1938. Once established as a star in Hollywood she became a naturalized citizen in the United States in 1946.